I first heard about the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) as a high school student in the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program. Thanks to ACES and the guidance of my ACES coach, Monica Burgos and Gina DiMedio Marrazza, I was able to attend Montgomery College (MC) and earn my associate degree at no cost, with the help of scholarships and grants. As a first-generation student, this step was crucial for me and my family. The ACES program has provided me with phenomenal guidance throughout my education journey.
Attending the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Robert H. Smith School of Business at USG has been my goal since graduating high school. This was based on my interest in helping my father achieve his dream of starting his HVAC company. USG fostered my need to pursue a bachelor's degree, maintain my family responsibilities, and stay in one of the best counties in the United States to establish a business. USG also fosters a close-knit community that has allowed me to build relationships and connections with my professors and students of different majors.
While at USG, I was part of the USG student ambassador program, which focuses on assisting USG recruitment team members in efforts to share the unique benefits of the campus with prospective students and the greater community. Additionally, I was a Dean’s Student Advisory Council (DSAC) member. Here, I served as a voice on behalf of students in the Smith School, to help ensure that there is a constant enhancement of programs, classes, and procedures so that R.H. Smith School continues to grow into a truly world-class program recognized by our peers and top companies.
During the summer of 2022, I established my own marketing agency, iSpyPros. At iSpyPros, we focus on enlightening business owners through digital marketing and the importance of creating professional in-house photography and videography content for their social media presence. In addition, I had the great privilege of obtaining an internship with the DC United professional soccer team as their Social Media Content Creator. This experience allowed me to learn from the industry's best photographers, graphic designers and marketing directors. I am very passionate about soccer as well, so being part of that internship was a great experience, and allowed me to grow my skills in an industry I love and get to know outstanding individuals in my field. After completing the internship, I was excited to be offered a full time position with DC United as their Social Media Content Creator upon graduation.
Today, I can proudly say that I am a first-generation college graduate who earned an associate degree from Montgomery College with honors, and a bachelor’s degree from UMD’s Robert H. Smith School of Business at the USG campus in May of 2023. I plan to focus firmly on expanding my marketing agency, iSpyPros and managing my father's HVAC business, MProTech. In the future, I’d like to continue giving back to my community by volunteering my time to support and guide students on the right path.